


we'll manage

by haengbokhaeya (shinybicho)



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Idols, Emotionally Constipated Lee Jihoon, Fluff, How Do I Tag, Kwon Soonyoung is whipped, M/M, Minor Original Character(s), Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Members to Appear, manager!ksy, soloist!ljh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-08
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-15 11:34:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13612497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shinybicho/pseuds/haengbokhaeya
Summary: It was just easier, to move in and live with renowned soloist Lee Jihoon, to drive him to his schedules and practices and back no matter how late they may get. Maybe. Jury's still out on this one for Soonyoung.





	1. good morning, sunshine

“Ji, time to go,” he said, nudging the shoulder carefully knowing full well how busy the other was the night before. He wanted to give him more time to rest. With the comeback set in a few weeks, the final revisions were being made from the songs to the album jackets to the freebies and promotion schedules.

Not that there was doubt that it wouldn’t sell well. Lee Jihoon was just that much of a perfectionist. He turned Jihoon over, slowly as if he was glass, careful not to jostle him even though the point was to wake him up. There were worry lines on Jihoon’s forehead, like a nightmare plaguing him. It tugged at his own heart, seeing Jihoon’s dark eye bags underneath, sweat forming on his temples, and his fist tightly holding the blanket with his knuckles nearly white and the blanket almost ripped into pieces.

He ran his fingers through Jihoon’s hair, whispering quiet noises into his ear. He didn’t think Jihoon knew he did this but it always worked. He wiped Jihoon’s forehead, watching as his fringe fell back down. The crease lines were fading, his face was softening, and his grip was loosening. He smiled against Jihoon’s temple, pressing a light kiss before nudging him for real.

“Ji,” he tried again, louder but still soft, “time to get up. We gotta leave in fifteen.”

Jihoon turned, the blankets tangling around his waist and between his legs. He blearily blinked, slowly waking to consciousness. It was always a slow morning. Since Jihoon stayed up late and slept during a god forsaken hour, he was always mindful of what time and how he woke Jihoon up.

(The first night ever was a horrible memory. Jihoon was cranky with a migraine that felt like someone was making rice cakes on his head. He also couldn’t stomach anything, could barely stomach water. The staff were miserable and he really thought he fucked it up on his first day of the job. After giving Jihoon a blanket, a soft pillow, and an ibuprofen, Jihoon slept like a log and woke up refreshed and embarrassed at how he acted. It was something they all tended to avoid ever since.)

Jihoon blinked himself awake, wiping his face and his eyes. His chin was scruffy with a bit of stubble and his eyes full of crusts. “Soonyoung-ah,” he croaked, hoarse and groggy, his throat parched from lack of water. He sat up slowly, pushing his entire upper body with both hands.

Soonyoung reached for the glass he set aside before he woke Jihoon up. With careful hands, he let the rim touch Jihoon’s lips and even more carefully tipped the glass so that Jihoon could continue drinking without the water spilling all over. Jihoon drank until the last drop and Soonyoung saw he was starting _really_ be awake. Once the water was finished, Soonyoung stood and gave him a smile.

“C’mon,” he nodded out the door, “you’ve got a variety show recording and dance practice today and we’re late.”

Jihoon blinked at Soonyoung once, twice, plus four more times before he reached for his phone to check the time. His eyes grew comically wide before he jumped out of the bed. Or at least he tried to, his legs still tangled around the sheets and he nearly fell on his face. Soonyoung, ever the quick reflexes, caught him by the underarms.

With their faces inches close, Jihoon gave him a glare. A silent accusation that Soonyoung didn’t wake him up early enough to prepare properly. But Soonyoung just gave him a smile, helping him get his legs out of the sheets. “Good morning, sunshine.”

Jihoon bent his head, as if he was hiding, and pushed his way out to the bathroom, grumbling about managers and responsibility (or lack thereof) but Soonyoung laughed behind him.

It was gonna be a good day. He could feel it.


	2. it's variety

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i completely missed adding "mutual pining" and "unrequited love" in the tags now i'm thinking if i should add "unreliable narrator" here too but that depends on my writing skill and style. lol.

It wasn’t the first time they taped a variety show. Of course it wasn’t. Lee Jihoon was an established artist, well-known for his smooth singing voice and his heartbreaking and relatable lyrics. He was also known for writing, composing, and producing his own music since day one. He’s been exploring multiple music genres once he was more established because he didn’t want to be kept in a pigeon hole.

That was what made him Kwon Soonyoung’s idol. He wasn’t, in terms of industry standards obviously, but man did Soonyoung feel like he was a successful fan.

Because who else could be the manager of someone you idolized and respected?

To be fair, Soonyoung was at the wrong place at the right time and he would probably be very thankful to the old lady in the little hole-in-the-wall restaurant he accidentally talked too long for.

Being able to watch Jihoon perform the activities (or punishments) during his variety show appearances excited him. His limbs kept moving, not able to keep still because of the excitement. He had to bite his lower lip multiple times just so he wouldn’t squeal or scream or cheer for Jihoon during recording.

(It took him a while to get used to it, watching Jihoon perform punishments or activities live. Even then he was still pinching himself to see if it was real.)

“Cut!” The main producer yelled out and the stylists for each guest rushed over to their respective artists. Jihoon tried to catch his breath but he stood perfectly still so that his stylist could wipe the sweat cleanly before his make up was retouched.

Soonyoung moved, walked to stand beside him and gave him a battery-powered fan. It was his job to ensure that the artist he was handling was well-taken care of. Standing in the studio where all the cameras were pointed at was something that never really bothered him. Most managers tried to stay out of the cameras but Jihoon’s comfort was more important.

One of the writers came up to them and explained the next scene they were going to shoot. It involved another strenuous activity that if they weren’t careful, could potentially injure the guests. Soonyoung bit his tongue and swallowed a protest. He knew Jihoon could do this and he knew Jihoon wanted to do this because that’s just the way the industry went.

“Are you sure about this, Ji,” Soonyoung asked as soon as the writer moved on to brief the next celebrity, “I think we can still negotiate the activity.”

Jihoon looked at Soonyoung with no change in his expression. Soonyoung knew though, that he was calculating and analysing the situation. If Jihoon had said no, Soonyoung would have done everything in his power to change the activity. He was a rookie manager but that didn’t mean he couldn’t argue for his artist for all his worth.

“I can do it,” Jihoon said, looking away and bowing to his stylist in thanks. He said it again just to show his determination. “I can do it.”

Soonyoung took a look at Jihoon. He had dark bags hidden only lightly by the make up. There were worried lines were faint on his face but they were there. A pink flush spread across his cheeks so well that Soonyoung wanted to ask the stylist if she placed it there.

But there were beads of sweat at his temples and Jihoon couldn’t stop wiping his palms on his clothes. His chest was heaving and his eyes couldn’t stop looking around. Jihoon was nervous.

“Alright,” Soonyoung said with a bright smile and a nod. Jihoon cautiously glanced at him with a questioning face, “you can do it. And even if you can’t, it’s variety. I know you’ll put on a great show anyway.”

He walked back to watch behind the cameras, leaving a surprised Jihoon standing in the middle. It was only when the main producer shouted in general for everyone to take their positions that Jihoon snapped out of his stupor.

Jihoon made it through, with boisterous laughter from the hosts to the other guests and even to the variety show crew. Of _course_ Soonyoung was right. He was Lee Jihoon and nothing could have topped that.

**Author's Note:**

> if y'all aren't following me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/shinybicho), you wouldn't know that i actually preferred someone else to write [this prompt](https://twitter.com/shinybicho/status/959828226104176640) but alas soonhoon has fed us so much and it's only feb. hahahaha!
> 
> this is in **no way** related to jihoonie pd-nim, but if you were following me on twitter you'd know that i have a surprise! lmao.
> 
> thanks to [19twentyone](http://archiveofourown.org/users/19twentyone/pseuds/19twentyone) who gave me the initial title for this fic. special thanks to [milkbeams](http://archiveofourown.org/users/milkbeams/gifts) for the support and hype as always. love you both! ♥
> 
>  **no update schedule** , and each chapter is definitely gonna be shorter than jihoonie pd-nim because i really don't wanna pressure myself to reach ~1.5k words per chapter. i'll just go with the flow and see how far this'll go hence no limit to number of chapters either.
> 
> stream [thanks](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZItyr1SNjU) on yt or melon or wherever and whenever you can please! ♥
> 
> you can talk to me at: [twitter](https://twitter.com/shinybicho) or [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/shinybicho)


End file.
